Fluid outlet unit

ABSTRACT

A fluid outlet includes a top side with a plurality of grooves to channel moisture into a basin. A drain pipe port at the bottom of the basin channels moisture into the drain pipe. The outlet can be made from a single unitary polymer that can be cut to fit into any location.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure relates to a fluid outlet unit, and more specifically,to a fluid outlet unit for draining moisture that collects around theunit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A fluid outlet unit for a shower, stool, or water closet generallycomprises an apertured top grille part and a bottom part that connectsto a drain pipe. Waste water from the shower tray drains over andthrough the apertures of the top grille part into the bottom part andinto the drain pipe. Such units fail to include a way of removingmoisture that accumulates around the unit.

SUMMARY

A fluid outlet is disclosed. The fluid outlet includes a top side with aplurality of grooves to channel moisture into a basin. A drain pipe portat the bottom of the basin channels moisture into the drain pipe. Theoutlet can be made from a single unitary polymer that can be cut to fitinto any location. Generally, the top side is at least substantiallythirty five and eleven-sixteenths inches (35 11/16″) long and at leastsubstantially three-quarters inches (¾″) thick.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a base plate for a waste water outletaccording to an embodiment of this disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the base plate of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the base plate of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the base plate of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 shows the base plate of FIG. 1 connected to a drain pipe andtrap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a fluid outlet unit 100. Unit 100 includes a base plate 102housing a drain pipe port 104 that is connected to a drain pipe fordraining fluid from a shower, stool, or water closet. Base plate 102 issized to fit with the subfloor. In that regard, base plate 102 can be ¾″thick, which is the thickness of the subfloor in most commercial andresidential building projects.

Base plate 102 can be adjusted from side-to-side to obtain the desiredplacement of drain pipe port 104, which will be in line with the drainfor the shower, stool, or water closet. The width of base plate 102 isof a sufficient length to allow for the space between drain pipe port104 and the back wall of the room where unit 100 is being placed.

In an embodiment, base plate 102 can be substantially eighteen inches(18″) wide and substantially thirty five and eleven-sixteenths inches(35 11/16″) long to fit a wide variety of spacings between floor joistsin the building trade. One skilled in the art will recognize that theterm substantially allows for tolerances typically acceptable in thebuilding trade.

Base plate 102 can be made from a molded polymer material, such aspolyvinyl chloride (PVC), and can be made as a single unitary piece ofmaterial. The underside of base plate 102 (shown in FIG. 3) can bewaffled to reduce weight and cost of manufacture.

Fluid outlet unit 100 further includes a plurality of grooves 106surrounding drain pipe port 104. In the illustrated embodiment there are32 grooves, but more or less grooves are contemplated. Grooves 106channel moisture that accumulates between base plate 102 (which iscoplanar with the baseboard) and the shower, stool, or water closet.Grooves 106 channel moisture into a basin 108 that surrounds drain pipeport 104. Grooves 106 have a slope toward basin 108 so that the moistureflows into basin 108. Accumulated moisture in basin 108 is drainedthrough an outlet 110 in the bottom of basin 108 into the drain pipe. Inthis regard, grooves 106 are in fluid communication with the drain pipevia basin 108. A trap 120, shown in FIG. 5, such as a ¾″ S-trap or aU-trap, connects outlet 110 to the drain pipe that is connected to drainpipe port 104. Trap 120 can include oil instead of water, such asvegetable oil that doesn't evaporate and repels oil and blocks sewer gasfrom escaping.

It is therefore possible to provide a fluid outlet unit 100 that can beinstalled as a unitary piece of material and sized to fit any placementof a shower, stool, or water closet. Fluid outlet unit 100 providesadequate draining of any moisture that might accumulate between suchshower, stool, or water closet and the subfloor to prevent or eliminatemold and contamination, which can lead to rotting odors or anenvironment for insects to thrive. Fluid outlet unit 100 can beadaptable to fit into any building codes adapted around the world, andcan fit with any type of building material or subfloor, such as wood,steel, or concrete.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and describedwith reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understoodby those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes,substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing fromthe scope of the invention as defined by appended claims and theirequivalents. The invention can be better understood by reference to thefollowing claims. For purpose of claim interpretation, the transitionalphrases “including” and “having” are intended to be synonymous with thetransitional phrase “comprising.” Any ranges given herein include anyand all specific values within the range and any and all ranges withinthe given range.

1. A fluid outlet unit comprising: a top side having a plurality ofgrooves to channel moisture; a basin for receiving the moisture from theplurality of grooves; a drain pipe port for connecting to the drainpipe; and an outlet in fluid communication between the basin and thedrain pipe to drain the moisture in the basin into the drain pipe. 2.The fluid outlet unit of claim 1, wherein the fluid outlet unitcomprises a single unitary piece of material.
 3. The fluid outlet unitof claim 2, wherein the top side is at least substantially thirty fiveand eleven-sixteenths inches (35 11/16″) long.
 4. The fluid outlet unitof claim 2, wherein the top side is at least substantiallythree-quarters inches (¾″) thick.
 5. The fluid outlet unit of claim 2,wherein the fluid outlet unit consists of a molded polymer material. 6.The fluid outlet unit of claim 1, and further comprising a trapconnected between the outlet and the drain pipe.
 7. The fluid outletunit of claim 6, and further comprising oil in the trap.
 8. A fluidoutlet unit comprising: a top side at least substantially thirty fiveand eleven-sixteenths inches (35 11/16″) long and at least substantiallythree-quarters inches (¾″) thick having at least 10 grooves to channelmoisture arranged around a circumference; a basin for receiving themoisture from the plurality of grooves; a drain pipe port for connectingto the drain pipe; and an outlet in fluid communication between thebasin and the drain pipe to drain the moisture in the basin into thedrain pipe.
 9. The fluid outlet unit of claim 8, wherein the fluidoutlet unit comprises a single unitary piece of material.
 10. The fluidoutlet unit of claim 9, wherein the fluid outlet unit consists of amolded polymer material.
 11. The fluid outlet unit of claim 9, andfurther comprising a trap connected between the outlet and the drainpipe.
 12. The fluid outlet unit of claim 11, and further comprising oilin the trap.